It has become a landmark moment in the Irish music industry every year. And rightly so, with live music becoming ever-more-important as a source of income for musicians and bands.

The voting is open for the IMRO Live Music Venue of the Year Awards. The awards are now a firm fixture on the Irish music calendar and have become a highly prized industry accolade within the entertainment and hospitality sectors.

Last year, the overall Live Music Venue of the Year award went to Mike The Pies in Listowel – which is fast on its way to achieving legendary status. There are also regional award winners, which are also voted by members of IMRO. Musicians, writers, composers and publisher members of IMRO are asked to consider a variety of criteria before casting their ballots. These are:
General venue ambience
Staging
Sound / lighting
Diversity of music programmed
Professionalism in their dealings with performers
Promotion / PR activities utilised by the venue to promote performance
"The ethos behind this awards programme is to acknowledge and reward venues that excel in the provision of superior live music entertainment in Ireland,“ an IMRO spokesperson told Hot Press.

Qualifying venues may include: pubs, hotels, arts centres, theatres, and purpose built live music venues etc. However, the awards are primarily targeted at the live music scene.

In addition, IMRO members will have an opportunity to nominate their favourite Irish music festivals, venue production teams and an IMRO Outstanding Contribution to Live Music Award. The awards will be presented at a special ceremony in February 2019.

In partnership with IMRO, Hot Press has also launched the vote for its Hot Press Live Music Venue of the Year award, with the presentation taking place at the same ceremony in February. Hot Press readers, who collectively go to more gigs than anyone else in Ireland, members of the public, musicians and others in the industry, all vote in what is a fiercely contested-for award.

“One of the most encouraging developments over the past few years in Ireland,” Hot Press editor Niall Stokes said, “is that there are new venues opening all over the country. Nothing is easy in music right now, nor can anything be taken for granted – but the live scene has been getting healthier, and there are more opportunities for artists and bands to earn a decent crust now, than for some years past. That is why these awards are so important. Everything that can be done to reinforce that trend and to add momentum to it is a hugely positive thing. Here’s to a great 2019 for the whole live music industry in Ireland.”

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Vicar Street was the Hot Press Live Music Venue of the Year for 2018, and there were special commendations also for the INEC in Killarney and Kavanagh’s of Portlaoise.